Repeated food-frying cycles subject cooking oils vegetable-based oils or animal-based oils to extreme temperature swings and aeration, which quickly lead to a runaway decomposition profile, resulting in a severely limited frying lifetime. Therefore, this used frying oil is generally discarded when an unacceptable deterioration in food quality is experienced.
Quite often, used (spent) oils are improperly disposed of by washing the used oils down the plumbing or by dumping them down the storm drain system. Improperly disposing of used oils may cause property damage, health hazards and environmental problems. Over time, used oils rinsed down the plumbing system build up and eventually block the entire pipe, causing sewer back ups. As sewer pipes back up, sewage and food particles that accumulate can attract insects and other vermin and may create potential health hazards. Clogged sewers can also lead to overflows. As sewage overflows onto the streets, it enters the storm drain system, where it is then carried straight into our local streams and creeks without any treatment. Polluted storm water runoff can lead to costly maintenance and clean up and could result in severe fines from regulatory bodies.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a process for obtaining polyols from used frying oils as the starting ingredient and converting the polyols to useful polyurethane products.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a process for obtaining polyols from used frying oils as the starting ingredient and converting the polyols to useful polyurethane products.